“May our Blessed Mother Mary, the Mother of the Church intercede for us to be faithful members of the Church and to lead a committed Christian life!”
(Based on 1 Kings 7:1-6 and Mt 5:1-12 – Monday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time – Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church)
An elderly person was given a latest model of a mobile phone, on his birthday by his son, who lived abroad.
Seeing the phone, the man exclaimed:
“Oh son! This piece of technology is just of no use for me!
I do not belong to your generation. This gadget is too complicated for me!”
But as he made this comment, he also saw a little letter attached.
It was a letter from his son.
It read thus:
“Dear Father, Wish you a very Happy Birthday!
On this special day, I am presenting this latest phone for your use.
I know that you will react by saying it is of no use for me
But knowing you, I have also attached a simple-to-use manual…
… a booklet, that I myself have prepared so that you can use the phone without any hassles.
Wish you a happy time using the phone and hope to hear you soon!”
The man was pleasantly surprised, and saw another booklet which read “Manual for use” with its table of contents:
- Usage instructions
- Safety instructions
- Assembly and Installation instructions
- Maintenance instructions.
- Troubleshooting instructions
- Service locations
- Product technical specifications.
- Warranty information
These 8 instructions were to help the man to make the best use of the product and get the maximum out of it.
Seeing the 8 instructions, the man immediately exclaimed:
“Oh this is so wonderful!
These 8 instructions are just like the 8 beatitudes that Jesus had given, for make the best use of our life here on earth and get the maximum out of it!”
Yes…
Just as instructional manuals become guidelines for better usage, greater effectiveness and higher appreciation…
… Our Christian spiritual life also needs an Instructional Manual…
… for better fruitfulness
… for greater effectiveness
We have concluded a journey of fourteen weeks (nearly 100 days) of walking intimately with the Lord in His Passion, Death, Resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit…
… starting with the Ash Wednesday in the season of Lent
… through the Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday
… the Ascension and the Feast of the Holy Spirit – the Pentecost.
As we resume the Ordinary times of the Liturgical year, we are presented with the message to make an examination of the “quality of our life of faith” through the Eight Beatitudes.
The Gospel of the Day – the 8 Beatitudes: one of the most beautiful passages of the B.I.B.L.E. (sometimes expanded as being “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth!”
Or “Behold I Bring Life Eternal!”)…
…. presents to us a ready reference Instruction Manual with 8 instructions, on how to live as a true follower of Christ.
The passage begins with the sentence, “Jesus went up to the mountain and SAT DOWN…and HE BEGAN TO TEACH them” (Mt 5:1)
In the Jewish Tradition, the Rabbi (teacher) would sit and teach.
The Hebrew word ‘Rabbi’ is derived from “rav”, which means ‘Great One’.
When St Matthew specifically mentions that “Jesus sat down and taught”, Jesus is presented as the Rabbi: The Great One – The Teacher – Who speaks with great authority.
Jesus is the New Moses, who presents the “New Law- the law of Absolute Love!”
What is this teaching of such great authority?
It’s a teaching which calls for a reversal of the worldly values!
It’s a teaching that turns the worldly standards of greatness upside down!
The world holds in high esteem the aspects of power, prestige, richness and prosperity.
The yardstick of the greatness of people is very often measured in terms of these external achievements.
But Jesus, the teacher-par-excellence, reverses this false notion of the world…
… And pronounces BLESSEDNESS to the poor, the mourning, the meek, the hungry and thirsty, the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers and the persecuted ones!
High jumpers while competing with each other, keep raising the bar higher and higher, to achieve victory.
Similarly, the Beatitudes that are pronounced by Jesus raises the bar – the standards of Christian life are raised to a great proportion.
All the beatitudes, focus on one aspect: The need to lower oneself and instead to understand that “God alone suffices!”
Very often many questions pop up in our minds…
…. “Why is my life full of suffering, though I seek to live a genuine life?”
… “Why do the unjust prosper, and the people who pursue for justice fail to receive rewards?“
… “Why does success elude me whereas those who adopt wrong means bask in achievements?”
It’s hard to give a downright answer to such questions…
… but the Beatitudes gives us a glimpse into the mind of Jesus: That in all such occasions, our attitude ought to be, ” God alone suffices!”
“God alone suffices” ought to be our refrain…
… when we find ourselves at the receiving end, even though after having worked hard, we don’t find the expected success
… when we are still subject to persecutions and hardships even though we live in honesty and truthfulness
Of course, this teaching is hard to follow…may even seem impractical…!
Yet, we are not alone..
… Jesus the teacher, Himself is our Model and Example.. He walked the talk!
Hanging on the Cross, Jesus became the epitome of the Beatitudes that He Proclaimed…
… He was the One Who was Poor, Mourning, Meek, Hungry and Thirsty, Merciful, Clean of Heart, Peacemaker and the Persecuted One!
Today let us look to Jesus, the Teacher and the One who lived out the Beatitudes, and make our Christian life more meaningful!
In the words of Fulton Sheen, “It’s hard to be a Christian… but it’s harder not to be one!”
May the Divine Instructional Manual given by Jesus on the Mount became the pattern for us to lead a Committed Christian Life!
Today we also celebrate the Feast of Mary, the Mother of the Church.
Mother Mary is the Model for all in the Church to “always say YES to God’s Will and live a Committed Life as a Follower of Christ!”
This feast which has been brought promulgated from last Year…
… is celebrated every year on the Monday after Pentecost.
One of the primary reasons for the celebration of this Feast is “to foster Marian piety and the Maternal sense of the Church.”
Pope Francis says that, “this celebration will help us to remember that growth in the Christian life must be anchored…
… to the Mystery of the Cross
… to the oblation of Christ in the Eucharistic Banquet
… and to the Mother of the Redeemer and Mother of the Redeemed!”
The Marian title of “Mother of the Church,” was given to the Blessed Mother by Pope Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council.
The Gospel Passage – Jn 19: 25-34 – presents the “Model of the Church”
Jesus, the Head of the Church
Mary, the Mother of all the children in the Church
The Beloved Disciple, who stands for all the members of the Church
This “Model Church” stands as a witness and an example for the Church, to “always seek and do God’s Will!”
Mother Mary is the first Evangelizer and the first Disciple of Her own Son and Lord, Jesus the Christ!
Mother Mary is not just the biological Mother of Jesus…
… but, by doing the Will of the Father perfectly, She is also His Spiritual Mother!
Thus Mary is the Mother of the Church!
As St Maximilian Kolbe says, “If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother!”
Yes, doing the Will of the Father…
… is the DNA that joins all the members of the Family of God
May our Blessed Mother Mary, the Mother of the Church intercede and pray for all of us…
… to be faithful and witnessing members of the Church.
Happy Feast Day of Mary, the Mother of the Church…
… to all Her Little Children of God!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
WHEN IS THE LITURGY CELEBRATED? Where is the Liturgy Celebrated?
The tabernacle is to be situated “in churches in a most worthy place with the greatest honour.”
The dignity, placing, and security of the Eucharistic tabernacle should foster adoration before the Lord really present in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.
The sacred chrism (myron), used in anointings as the sacramental sign of the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit, is traditionally reserved and venerated in a secure place in the sanctuary.
The oil of catechumens and the oil of the sick may also be placed there.
The chair (cathedra) of the bishop or the priest “should express his office of presiding over the assembly and of directing prayer.
The lectern (ambo): “The dignity of the Word of God requires the church to have a suitable place for announcing his message so that the attention of the people may be easily directed to that place during the liturgy of the Word” (CCC #1183-1184)
Reflection Capsules 